Umar Farouk Ibrahim, National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), has urged the federal government to focus on improving citizens’ welfare as Nigeria grapples with worsening economic challenges. His appeal follows recent tragic stampedes during end-of-year palliative distributions in Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which claimed over 50 lives, including children.

In a statement on Monday, Ibrahim expressed concern over the growing desperation among Nigerians driven by inflation and economic hardship. “The bottom line is that there is hunger in the land,” Ibrahim said. “Hunger is turning into an epidemic, and not many people can survive this situation. It is only poverty that made some Nigerians go scooping fuel from accident scenes, resulting in an inferno that brought about hundreds of casualties.”

He criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, accusing the administration of aggravating the plight of Nigerians. Ibrahim noted the lack of tangible measures to combat rising poverty and hunger, urging the government to prioritize using the nation’s resources to improve living conditions.

“The country’s resources should be used to enhance the welfare of its citizens,” he emphasized, calling for better economic management and swift action to mitigate the suffering.

The LP secretary concluded by urging the federal government to “sit up and put their acts together” to prevent further tragedies and provide relief to struggling Nigerians.